Aspirations for 2025

[ap Oweyn]

down to 5 cigarettes a day and three beers a week. I'm seeing the addiction specialist again soon and we will be working on reducing it to 0. Am working out fairly regularly and doing my kata

Good on you, mate. I used to be an addictions counseling intern. It's not easy, what you're doing. Respect.

 

[Prince_Alarming]

Good on you, mate. I used to be an addictions counseling intern. It's not easy, what you're doing. Respect.

Thanks, I just wish this particular problem wasn't my own stupid fault. Now I have to take responsibility for the bleeding thing...

 

[Gyakuto]

Thanks, I just wish this particular problem wasn't my own stupid fault. Now I have to take responsibility for the bleeding thing...

Some people just have ‘addictive brain circuitary’. It’s no more your fault than someone with flat feet or a dodgy aortic valve. With the ubiquity of cigarettes and alcohol and especially the social normalisation of drinking the latter, you could say it’s, in great part, the Portman Group and tobacco industry’s fault.

You’ve recognised the issue and you’re trying to do something about it and that is truly worthy of praise.

 

[Prince_Alarming]

If nothing else, it's taught me a lot about how this stuff works. Before I contacted the local drug and alcohol services, I thought a taper was a funny little south American mammal with a prehensile snout

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Thanks, I just wish this particular problem wasn't my own stupid fault. Now I have to take responsibility for the bleeding thing...

I wouldn't say it's your fault. Probably over 95% of adults have tried alcohol at some point or another. Some people become addicted to it, due in large part to their own biology. Similar to schizophrenia, the person who has it isn't to blame.

That said, choosing not to do anything about it would be your fault (again, like with schizophrenia choosing not to take medication or get better would be your fault), and you have to take responsibility for it to get better. But don't blame yourself for having the condition in the first place.

 

[Prince_Alarming]

How long do you think I should be sober before I hit the dojo with the impressionable kids and stuff? I'm thinking maybe a month

 

[EskrimaFan]

My aspirations for 2025.

For De Campo 1-2-3 I would've gone to the Philippines in 2025, but had to delay that to 2026. Polishing my technical skills, and expanding my own group.

For Baraw Sugbo, trying to get better in that system and eventuelly maybe when I go in 2026 to the Philippines, getting permission to teach it.

For Ilustrisimo, started training this recently and very much enjoying this as well, hopefully I can visit Mang Yuli in 2026 as well. So for 2025 keep practicing what I get from my instructor.

And for the standard thing, trying lose a little bit of weight, more healthy food, improving dad skills etc...

 

[Prince_Alarming]

On the NHS quit smoking Wales program. Wish me luck, a few months down the line I'll be fine

 

[Prince_Alarming]

I feel quite at home here in the filipino martial arts section. Maybe some day I'll get some sticks and go to a class

 

[ap Oweyn]

How long do you think I should be sober before I hit the dojo with the impressionable kids and stuff? I'm thinking maybe a month

You know, I'm not sure anyone but you can answer that. Because this is really how you're feeling about your recovery, and you're being pretty tough on yourself. I'm not telling you how to be with yourself about this. I'm just saying that being in recovery is for YOU. There's no prerequisite "redemption" time before you're morally permitted to be back in the dojo. You're doing something hard. Keep doing it. What better example to fledgling martial arts students than someone persevering through hardship?

 

[ap Oweyn]

I feel quite at home here in the filipino martial arts section. Maybe some day I'll get some sticks and go to a class

I'm not going to tell you that you should do that.

You should do that.

 

[ap Oweyn]

My aspirations for 2025.

For De Campo 1-2-3 I would've gone to the Philippines in 2025, but had to delay that to 2026. Polishing my technical skills, and expanding my own group.

For Baraw Sugbo, trying to get better in that system and eventuelly maybe when I go in 2026 to the Philippines, getting permission to teach it.

For Ilustrisimo, started training this recently and very much enjoying this as well, hopefully I can visit Mang Yuli in 2026 as well. So for 2025 keep practicing what I get from my instructor.

And for the standard thing, trying lose a little bit of weight, more healthy food, improving dad skills etc...

Wow! You've got your plate full there.

I passed on the chance to go to the PI back in the 90s when I was competing. Woulda shoulda coulda.

I don't know much about De Campo if I'm honest. Is it more stick based? Illustrisimo, from my brief time, features a fair amount of blade work, yes? And Baraw is, I assume, focused on the knife.

Regardless, that's a brilliant set of aspirations, EskrimaFan.

 

[EskrimaFan]

Wow! You've got your plate full there.

I passed on the chance to go to the PI back in the 90s when I was competing. Woulda shoulda coulda.

I don't know much about De Campo if I'm honest. Is it more stick based? Illustrisimo, from my brief time, features a fair amount of blade work, yes? And Baraw is, I assume, focused on the knife.

Regardless, that's a brilliant set of aspirations, EskrimaFan.

De Campo 1-2-3 Original is both stick and blade based, and both weapons are treated as their own thing, so principles stay the same, but the execution for an impact weapon in relation to a cutting weapon is slightly different. It's like big movement vs small movement, if that makes any sense.

I haven't dabbled a lot in Ilustrisimo, I just started training this with my instructor, but from what I've heard from him it's a very well thought out combative system.

Baraw Sugbo also known as Arnes Diablo, is a defensive system focused on knife defense. It's a bit of a simplified description, because it's very specialized but covers a lot of facets within the topic. I have been training this with my son for a year now in a private setting, and in my opinion it's very progressive and very practical.

All 3 are equally fun to practice.

 

[ap Oweyn]

De Campo 1-2-3 Original is both stick and blade based, and both weapons are treated as their own thing, so principles stay the same, but the execution for an impact weapon in relation to a cutting weapon is slightly different. It's like big movement vs small movement, if that makes any sense.

Yeah, that's pretty typical. It's funny. Now that I've asked the question, I think I've realized its limitations. And that's based on my very little experience with Illustrisimo (two or three sessions with Guro John Jacobo). I imagine a lot of FMA styles balance stick and knife quite well.

Illustrisimo was the first time I trained with (training) machetes, to drive home the differences between blade and stick. The difference between blade and stick is backgrounded a bit when you're talking about stick and knife because it's concurrent with a marked difference in weapon length. The movements are smaller for both reasons. But with sword (whether that's machete, ginunting, talibong, etc.), the length is comparable with the stick, which really highlights the difference in mechanics based solely on the difference between impact and cutting.

I haven't dabbled a lot in Ilustrisimo, I just started training this with my instructor, but from what I've heard from him it's a very well thought out combative system.

I enjoyed it a great deal. I'd have kept at it but for the distance away and more responsibilities taking my time. Then this teacher left the area anyway.

Baraw Sugbo also known as Arnes Diablo, is a defensive system focused on knife defense. It's a bit of a simplified description, because it's very specialized but covers a lot of facets within the topic. I have been training this with my son for a year now in a private setting, and in my opinion it's very progressive and very practical.

Yeah, with the word "baraw" in there, I figured. Interesting.

All 3 are equally fun to practice.

Glad to hear it. That's excellent.